As summer starts and the sunshine starts to take over our attention spans, runners start to fill the streets, alleys and beach paths. Those looking for a nice coat of UV rays and the feeling of running through nature knows how exciting it is when its “summer running weather“.

Spending the past three weekends on the beaches of Tahoe, Newport and Ocean Beach made us contemplate the benefits and dangers of running without shoes along the beach. Here’s what we think:

1. BENEFIT: Sand in your toes. There’s just no better feeling.

2. DANGER: Blisters on the bottom of your feet. Sometimes you cannot gauge how hot the sand might be, or how coarse the sand is. One thing we know, Southlake Tahoe sand is not sand. Its a little too rough on the feet.

3. BENEFIT: There is no real need for music. The sound of the waves is motivating enough, plus the view of babes in beach outfits is always a plus.

4. BENEFIT: after a barefoot beach run, your knees and ankles feel a bit stronger and less impacted. A Griffith University (Queensland, Australia) study concluded that landing on soft sand increases the “collision” time, or the time during which the foot sinks into the sand, and therefore reduces the overall stress of pounding on the lower extremities.

5. DANGER: Because your running along the seashore, there is usually some sort of incline leading away from the waves. Running significant distances with one leg landing higher on the slope than the other is an easy way to injury yourself because it leads to muscular imbalances. So check out your seashore slants!

CONCLUSION: We love running barefoot on the beach. Just make sure you check your sand, the incline and hit the road every once in a while.